Shelter says that trends from recent years show that levels of homelessness at Christmas are generally at least as high as in March.

The majority of homeless children are living in temporary accommodation, meaning they can be moved on at short notice.

In more severe cases, they could be living short-term with friends or family, or in hostels or bed and breakfasts – accommodation the report describes as “totally inappropriate” for children.

While legislation means children should never have to sleep rough, there are some extreme cases in which this can happen for a short time.

Across Yorkshire and Humberside, 822 children were recorded as homeless, at a rate of one in every 1,409 children. Of them, 37 are in hostels or B&Bs, often with one family in a single room, sharing bathrooms and kitchens with other residents.

Greg Beales, director at Shelter, said: “No child should be homeless. But for the generation growing up in the housing crisis, this is the grim reality for many.

“The number of children hidden away in hostels and B&Bs is enough to make anyone’s heart sink.

“These are not places for children. We hear about cold, damp – even rats. Young children are sharing beds with multiple family members, trying to play in dirty public corridors, and having to leave their block in the middle of the night to use the bathroom.